On early November 1, 2023, around 3:30AM, Raul Rosales Ramirez crashed into a pole on Bouquet Canyon Road. His passenger, Orlando Gomez Sales, was pronounced dead upon arrival of medical personnel. The tragedy shocked local residents and raised serious concerns among Santa Clarita youth and families about the dangers of impaired driving.
Deputies responding to the scene noted multiple signs of impairment, including red eyes, slurred speech, an unsteady gait, and a strong odor of alcohol. Ramirez was found trapped in the driver’s seat with open alcoholic beverages in his lap and center console. Three hours later, a blood-alcohol test showed a BAC of 0.15, nearly twice the legal limit for adults (0.08) – and fifteen times over for someone under 21 (0.01) – highlighting how dangerously impaired drivers can put everyone on local roads at risk. To put this into perspective, a BAC of 0.15 for a 20-year-old is roughly equivalent to consuming four shots of hard liquor in an hour, significantly impairing his ability to drive. When someone operates a vehicle when this severely impaired, it puts themselves at risk as well as the people around them.
Ramirez was arrested the morning of the crash, November 1, 2023, and he has been held in custody with no bail since then. On November 6, 2023, he entered an initial not guilty plea. At his formal arraignment on August 14, 2025, almost two years later, he again pleaded not guilty and rejected a 15-year plea deal.
The long wait for the case to progress has taken a toll on the local community, keeping families and residents in prolonged uncertainty and raising awareness about the real-life consequences of impaired driving. For local teens and young adults, the case serves as a reminder of the risks of alcohol use behind the wheel. Community programs and schools are using incidents like this to reinforce education on responsible decision-making, hoping to prevent future tragedies and keep Santa Clarita streets safer.
Many programs around Santa Clarita are increasing their resources and education in an effort to keep students and young adults aware of the dangers of drinking and driving. Jared Diaz, a student representative from an anti-drug and anti-alcohol program, DFYinSCV, gave some helpful insights on what programs are doing to stop unfortunate situations like these. He said that “in recent years, not only have educational programs and resources surrounding impaired driving become more open to teens than ever before, but we are also seeing more organizations and youth movements dedicated to promoting sobriety, such as DFYinSCV.”
Jared also showed that the programs to help inform students about the dangers of drinking and driving even start at young ages, and “at younger levels, [programs] focus on decision making, general addiction awareness, and resisting peer pressure and negative influences.” As these students get older, however, the information is more in depth: “At Saugus DFYinSCV, we go further into the specific impacts of drugs and how seriously it can impact our lives. We educate students through engaging activities and events while also fostering a safe and supportive environment.” Programs like these help prevent DUI cases and crashes, keeping students safe. Tragic events like Raul Ramirez’s highlight societal struggles and drive efforts to raise awareness.
On July 31, 2025, Ramirez had a preliminary hearing, a court proceeding where a judge determines if there is enough evidence to require a defendant to stand trial for a criminal charge.
His next court date is scheduled for September 15, 2025, for a pretrial conference. At this hearing, a judge will determine whether the case should move forward to trial or if it can be resolved beforehand. For the families involved, a resolution without trial could mean a quicker closure, offering an opportunity for healing for the victim’s relatives while also affecting the defendant’s future and any hope of a lighter sentence.
